Shoe for reducing air pollution

ABSTRACT

A shoe for reducing pollution in air outside the shoe while a wearer is walking includes a sole having an internal cavity with one or more ports for allowing ambient air to move in and out of the cavity. The cavity contains a catalyst that converts a pollutant such as, for example, ozone (O 3 ) into a non-pollutant such as diatomic oxygen molecules (O 2 ).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to shoes and, more specifically,to a shoe providing a system for reducing air pollution.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Some running and walking shoes have flexible soles that absorb shock,converting much of the energy expended by the runner or walker into heatthat can warm the user's feet. U.S. Pat. No. 7,251,907, issued Aug. 7,2007 to Bondarchuk, describes a shoe having a cavity in its sole thatalternately expands and compresses as the wearer walks. When the cavityexpands, it draws ambient air in through inlet ports and when the cavitycompresses, it expels air out through outlet ports extending into theinterior of the shoe, thereby helping to cool a wearer's feet. ThusBondarchuk's shoe sole uses some of the energy it absorbs to forcecooling air into the shoe.

Walking or running in a city can be problematic when the air ispolluted. Air pollution modifies the natural characteristics of theatmosphere by chemicals, particulate matter or biological agents. Onepollutant in the lowest layer of atmosphere, the troposphere, is ozone,an unstable and highly reactive molecule of three oxygen atoms (O₃)commonly used as a bleaching, deodorizing or sterilizing agent. Ozone isproduced naturally in small concentrations in the stratosphere whenultraviolet sunlight splits an oxygen molecule (O₂) in two oxygen atomsand a freed atom thereupon combines with another oxygen molecule.Ultraviolet light then breaks down the ozone molecule to form oxygenmolecules. Thus ozone in the stratosphere absorbs much of theultraviolet light that reaches the earth. While stratospheric ozoneprotects the Earth's surface from dangerous ultraviolet light,tropospheric ozone, a major component of smog, reduces respiratoryfunctions increases the likelihood of respiratory infections. Vehicleand factory exhausts include nitrogen oxide gases (NO_(x)) and volatileorganic compounds (VOC), by-products of burning hydrocarbons such asgasoline and coal. (NO_(x)) and VOC combine with oxygen to form ozone onwarm, sunny days.

What is needed is a shoe that can use some of the energy it absorbs toreduce air pollution in the lower atmosphere.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention relates to a shoe incorporating a system forreducing pollution in air outside the shoe while a wearer is walking. Ashoe in accordance with the invention includes a flexible sole having aninternal cavity having one or more ports for allowing ambient air tomove in and out of the cavity. The cavity contains means for reducingpollutants in the air passing through the cavity. In the preferredembodiment of the invention the cavity contains a catalyst that convertsthe pollutant ozone (O₃) into diatomic oxygen molecules (O₂).

It is accordingly an object of the invention to reduce air pollution(smog).

The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear from thedescription to follow. In the description reference is made to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shownby way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention maybe practiced. These embodiments will be described in sufficient detailto enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it isto be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and thatstructural changes may be made without departing from the scope of theinvention. In the accompanying drawings, like reference charactersdesignate the same or similar parts throughout the several views. Thefollowing detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in alimiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is best definedby the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a shoe in accordance with the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional side elevation view of the shoe of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are sectional rear elevation views of the shoe of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a sectional side elevation view of a shoe in accordance withan alternative embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are sectional rear elevation views of the shoe of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates a shoe incorporating a system for reducingpollution in air outside the shoe while a wearer is walking. Thefollowing discussion describes in detail one embodiment of theinvention, but should not be construed as limiting the invention to thatparticular embodiment since practitioners skilled in the art willrecognize numerous other embodiments as well. For a definition of thecomplete scope of the invention the reader is directed to the appendedclaims.

Referring to FIGS. 1-4, the present invention is a shoe 10 having aflexible sole 12 including an internal cavity 14 and a set of ports 16extending through sole 12 between cavity 14 and the external surface ofsole 12. As the wearer walks, cavity 14 compresses when the wearerpresses on sole 12 as shown in FIG. 3, thereby reducing the volume ofair it holds, and expands when the wearer stops pressing on sole 12 asshown in FIG. 4, thereby increasing the volume of air it holds. Whencavity 14 expands, it draws ambient air from outside shoe 10 in throughports 16 and when cavity 14 compresses, it expels air out through ports16. Cavity 14 contains means for converting at least one pollutantcompound in the air entering the cavity into non-pollutant material. Inthe preferred embodiment of the invention a catalyst 18 for convertingthe pollutant ozone (O₃) into diatomic oxygen (O₂) coats the internalsurface of cavity 14. Sole 12 includes a set of bumps or fingers 20extending into cavity 14 to increase the cavity's surface area. Catalyst18 may be, for example, a proprietary base metal oxide formulationmanufactured under the trade name Premair. Those of skill in the artwill appreciate that other catalysts or combinations of catalysts may beused. Ports 16 on one side of shoe 12 may include one-way inlet valves22 while ports 16 on the other side of shoe 12 may include one-wayoutlet valves 24. When cavity 20 expands, air enters the cavity throughinlet valves 22 and when the cavity compresses, air exits the cavitythrough valves 24. Alternatively valves 22 and 24 may be omitted so thatair both enters and exits through all ports 16. Filters 26 mayoptionally reside in ports 16 to prevent particles or water vapor fromentering cavity 20.

FIGS. 5-8 show an alternative embodiment of the invention, a shoe 30that is generally similar to shoe 10 of FIGS. 1-4 except that in lieu ofproviding fingers 20 extending into cavity 14 to increase the surfacearea of the cavity, cavity 14 of shoe 30 contains a porous mesh 32 ofmaterial of aluminum or, any other suitable material, coated orimpregnated with catalyst 18. The surface of the material forming mesh32 is preferably roughened to increase its surface area, therebyincreasing the surface air of the catalyst residing on the material.

Although in the preferred embodiment of the invention the catalyst 18coating the surface of cavity 14 converts ozone into diatomic oxygen,those of skill in the art will appreciate that cavity 14 may containother catalysts or other means for breaking down or capturing othertypes of pollution in air passing though the cavity.

1. A shoe for reducing pollution in air outside the shoe while a wearerwalks, the shoe comprising: a flexible sole having a cavity thereinincluding at least one port for allowing the air from outside the shoeto enter the cavity when the cavity expands and for allowing the air toexit the cavity when the cavity compresses, and means within the cavityfor converting at least one pollutant in the air passing through thecavity into a non-pollutant.
 2. The shoe in accordance with claim 1wherein the sole compresses, expelling air through the at least oneport, when the wearer steps on the sole and expands, drawing air inthrough the at least one port, when the wearer stops pressing on thesole.
 3. The shoe in accordance with claim 1 wherein the means forconverting the at least one pollutant comprises a catalyst forchemically modifying the at least one pollutant.
 4. The shoe inaccordance with claim 3 wherein the catalyst converts ozone intodiatomic oxygen.
 5. The shoe in accordance with claim 4 wherein thecatalyst resides on a surface of the cavity.
 6. The shoe in accordancewith claim 5 wherein fingers of the sole material extend into thecavity, thereby increasing a surface area of the cavity upon which thecatalyst resides.
 7. The shoe in accordance with claim 1 furthercomprising a one-way valve residing in one of the ports for permittingair to flow through the port in only one direction.
 8. The shoe inaccordance with claim 1 further comprising: a first one-way valveresiding in one of the ports for permitting air to flow through said oneof the ports only into the cavity, and a second one-way valve resided inanother of the ports for permitting air to flow through said another ofthe ports only out of the cavity.
 9. The shoe in accordance with claim 1further comprising a filter residing in at least one of the ports forfiltering air entering the cavity through the port.
 10. The shoe inaccordance with claim 1 wherein the means for reducing pollution in theair comprises: material residing within the cavity, and a catalystresiding on the porous material for chemically modifying the pollutant.11. The shoe in accordance with claim 10 wherein the material forms amesh.
 12. The shoe in accordance with claim 10, wherein a surface of thematerial has been roughened and then coated with the catalyst.
 13. Theshoe in accordance with claim 10 wherein the material comprisesaluminum.
 14. The shoe in accordance with claim 10 further comprising aone-way valve residing in one of the ports for permitting air to flowthrough the port in only one direction.
 15. The shoe in accordance withclaim 10 further comprising: a first one-way valve residing in one ofthe ports for permitting air to flow through said one of the ports onlyinto the cavity, and a second one-way valve resided in another of theports for permitting air to flow through said another of the ports onlyout of the cavity.
 16. The shoe in accordance with claim 11 furthercomprising a filter residing in at least one of the ports for filteringair entering the cavity through the port.